Why write down every hour?
Because the hours you forget are the ones you never bill.
- For
- Catch the small bits of work that never reach the bill.
- When
- As the work happens, not on Friday
Try it
20 minutes a day not written down, at 90 an hour, over 230 days: 6,900 a year.
Lost a year = minutes a day ÷ 60 × days worked × your rate.
Write the time down before you leave the job.
Worked out
| Minutes a day | Hours a year | Lost a year |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 38 | 3,450 |
| 20 | 77 | 6,900 |
| 30 | 115 | 10,350 |
| 60 | 230 | 20,700 |
Easy to get wrong
- Filling in the week from memory.
- Leaving out the trip back for parts.
- Not counting the call about the bill.
- Rounding every visit down.
The tool for it
Questions
What counts as an hour on the job?
Time on site, getting parts for it, and calls about it.
Do I bill the drive?
Many do, or price it into a call-out charge. Say which on the quote.
Should I round up?
Pick a step, like 15 minutes, say it on the quote, and use it every time.
What if it’s a flat-price job?
Log the hours anyway: they show whether the flat price is right.
Should my crew log hours?
Yes, each their own, against the job, on the same day.
When do I write it down?
When you leave the site. Later, the small bits are gone.
Does it help at tax time?
Yes, it shows what each job took. Keep it with the job.
What if a customer questions the hours?
Show the log: the dates, the times and what was done.